‘Legs were jelly’: Amartey stars as Swans reach decider
“Legs like jelly … floating in air”.
That’s how Sydney’s Joel Amartey reckons it felt to win a spot in the AFL grand final.
The Swans are four quarters away from winning the club’s first premiership since 2012 after securing a 14.11 (95) to 8.11 (59) preliminary final victory over Port Adelaide at the SCG on Friday.
They will play the winners of Saturday’s Geelong-Brisbane preliminary final in the decider at the MCG on September 28.
Amartey, alongside livewire forward Tom Papley, hit the scoreboard with three goals to help launch the Swans to their 36-point victory.
On the receiving end of a standing ovation from the 44,053-strong, the young key forward says the feeling of booking a grand final spot was akin to a pinch-me moment.
“The first half I felt like I was floating in air,” Amartey said.
“My legs were jelly. It took me half a game of footy to realise what was going on.
“But, you know, the boys – it’s just contest by contest, and we got through.
“Even if we won by six or seven goals, it was still an absolute arm wrestle.”
It will be the first grand final appearance for Amartey in his seven-year-long career, after becoming a mainstay in the Sydney line-up last season.
The 25-year-old played only six games in 2022 before the Swans crashed to an 81-point grand final defeat to Geelong that year.
“A lot of the boys have played in grannies. I haven’t,” he said.
“It probably won’t hit me for a couple of days, probably ’til midweek when we’re in Melbourne at the grand final parade. That’s probably when I’ll realise what’s happening.
“I’m sure they’ll talk me through it.”
A premiership with the Swans will cap a career-best season for the injury-prone Amartey, who has kicked 47 goals in 24 games.
He almost missed out on their qualifying win against GWS after rolling his ankle during training but pushed through to slot the match-winning goal.
“It’s always good to kick a couple of goals but in the game (against GWS), everyone was happy with how I played,” Amartey said.
“I was happy with how I played.
“Sometimes it’s about competing in finals as big boys, and other people have a good game.
“As long as we keep winning, I’m happy and I’ll keep competing, it’s all that matters.”
#Legs #jelly #Amartey #stars #Swans #reach #decider